Who is the partner? LEADER has teamed up with Jain University (“Jain”) through Dr. Ariff Kachra who was in talks with the university regarding potential executive development programs. Jain University is one of the 70 educational institutions within the overall JGI (Jain Group of Institutions) umbrella. The class included students from the JGI IDEA Group which is a program that is focused on developing students’ business ideas into viable ventures. Students enrolled in this program are virtually assured of having their new ventures incubated by the JGI Group, which acts as the Venture Capital arm and business incubator of the university. The team felt that Jain was a strong fit for LEADER.Who are the entrepreneurs? Jain’s administrative team made a significant effort in promoting the program internally within the JGI group, and by teaming up with the State of Karnataka’s venture fund. For this reason our class comprised of current MBA students at Jain, students enrolled in JGI IDEA Group (non-degree granting program), and with entrepreneurs who have sought funding through the state government’s venture fund. Those who were referred from the State, had pitched for funding from the State Venture fund and were directed to us in order to improve their pitch and build out their business plans. Based on their learning’s from LEADER they were able to revise their pitches and seek funding again. The 27 entrepreneurs who we had the pleasure of teaching came from a mix of backgrounds: 12 of the students were in the university’s entrepreneurship program, 12 were in Jain’s standard MBA program, and 3 were local, ambitious entrepreneurs. Students ranged in age from 22 to 33, all with average to excellent English skills. New venture ideas from the Project participants included: a social venture which provides birthday parties for orphans; a city-wide newspaper collection and recycling program; an educational institution which bridges the skills gap that exists between the technical abilities of university graduates and the needs of the tech industry; and an e-grocery delivery business.

Why are we there? India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, recording its highest growth rates during the mid-2000s. Much of this economic growth is fuelled by entrepreneurial activity, primarily by way of small businesses. The team felt that LEADER is definitely a program that adds value in the Indian market. Moreover, India is a strategic market for Ivey, and LEADER is an excellent way for Ivey to showcase its case based method. What makes the location unique? Bangalore is the hub of India’s IT industry and is growing rapidly (as we could tell by the unpaved roads in the outskirts where our apartment was located.) While significant development has taken place in the country, there is still room for much improvement. Most importantly our class’s enthusiasm and high-level of engagement indicated that there is an appetite to learn through the case based method. Bangalore is a diverse city, and is a short flight from all major cities in the country, and Goa and Kerela (great vacation spots.) It’s also close to Mysore which is known for its beautiful palaces.